RUSSIAN UNREST.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7126, 15 June 1901, Page 2

RUSSIAN UNREST.

THE POPULAR MOVEMENT

IN RUSSIA.

One of the most telling eigns of the state of things in Russia (writes Karl Blind in' the " Pall Mall Budget ")' is the remonstration General Dragomirofl is reported to Have addressed to the Czar against the compulsory drafting of several hundred students at Kieff into the. army. In his memorandum he is said to have declared that "the army is not a penitentiary reformatory." Perhaps, at bottom, another view may have been an additional motive of his protest. What if mafeon'tent students were able to infect the military with their own ideas?

Same years ago it was a custom with advanced young men and women in Russia to "go among the people" — that is, to don popular garb, and to work, unknown, in some manufacturing establishment, in order to get on opportunity of spreading ideas of discontent with the autocratic system of government. It is stated that during the recent disturbances not less than about 2000 persons were arrested at the various university towns. The mass of Russian students — in fact, the overwhelming majority — ore, unlike in this to the students of England, the sons of very poor families. Eager love of knowledge attracts them to the seats of learning, end a great maow are imbued with idealist notions, combined with a kind of pessimist hatred of an intolerable system of tyranny thait weighs upon tihe country with deadening effect. Tnib "d«mocraibisation-" as to the origin and character of the student youth Mas gone; on of late years in a rapid degree. To introduce a large element of that kind into the army is, therefore, not withoo* danger to'the powers that be. In whatever light- General DragomirofFs motive and action may be looked upon, it is a noteworthy symptom. It was he who, in November last, interfered wdifch university aifaira at Kieff in such a way that wholesale arrests were the consequence. Yet now he conws forward with a remonstration calculated to shield 1 tine students against the worst treatment. Cases of such sudden defection from a. prevailing Government system are. historically, often ti» precursors of etartSinf eveafcs. In -the anoDjjrmously-publisned cook, "Russia pa the Eve of the Twentietlh Century," which a few months / ago dame out at Berlin, by "A Russian Patriot," in his native tongue, a remarkable parallel was drawn between the present condition of the Czar's Empire and 1 the one which, prevailed in Prussia shortly before the German Revolution of 1848. The author is sand' to be a distinguished Moscow ex-Professor of Public Law, Dr Boris Tsdhiteoierin, at on© tame Town Prefect of the old capital of Russia. Alluding to the effect which the Paris Revolution of February had upon Germany, Ihe wrote: — "Among us, too, it may happtia that some catastrophe abroad shaU precipitate most unexpectedly the process of much saner dissatisfaction!." The writer of that book is a moderate man. His words were uttered as a timely warning against the inevitable final consequences of a, poOncy of autocratic and bureaucratic repression. . , STUDENT REVOLtrTJONISTS. Quickly enough these antUapautfons have received a significant iUustr^tfon by ft series of events. They look like sheet-lightning before a coming storm. Student rdots have occurred; from one end of Russia to the other, with bloodshed and mass arrests. The author of the barbarous measures Warn, against the university youth has met -with his death, from the avengopg bullet of Karpowitch, an expelled student. That "evil-detnon," as he has -been called, the Proouratoff of the Holy Synod, M. Pobftdonoazefl, a modem Torqueanada, or Grand Inquisitor, to -whose religious bigotry the excommunication of Russia's greatest writer, Count Tolstoi, is owing, nearly fell a victim to «not!aer attempt made by an ex-ofncer, a manx holding a position under. Government as a statistician. If these- cases could come before a jury— -as did that of Vera Sassnlitoh, years ago, who bad shot the Police Prefect Treppff, but who was declared not girfltrf— ■ • Hha verdict , might possibly be a similarone under favouring circumstances. Tha fact is, it 1b no longer a mere affair of dissatisfaction at the numerous universities. Workmen, citizens, literary and scientific writers, have joined tihe movement, both at Moscow, Mtiherto tihe very' citadel of so-called 1 loyalty, and' at St Petersburg. .When Alexander 11. lost his life through a revolutionary conspiracy, the masses at the <M Muscovite capital were ready to wreak vengeance upon students and other members of what is called "the Intelligence" in Russia— <tihat is, the cultured classes which would lain see thie introduction) of » Continental system on Parliamentary lines. But tfehis time,* workmen and burghers at Moscow fraternised with the university 1 youth. It may ba brought to recollection tnat at Paris, , as well as at Vienna, tihe stodenits were at one time regarded, and acting, as the vanguard of revolution. So it was in the Austrian capital in 1848, when th» ". Anla" became the very centre of Democratdo leadership. THE MARTYRS OF 1825. At St Petetttburg again, students, workmen, citizens, and literary men, were recently seen to. be in harmony of aentJmwit. Red flags appeared, and manifestoes were thrown amoog tbe crowd. A spirit of tumult has evidently seized upon the masses in many towns. This is very, different from what happened at the accession of Nichotaa L dn 1825. He had' to wade through blood to the thuone, laving to overthrow by force of arms, in the capital itself, a military rising against autocratic rule. It was" led by men ihdgh in rank in the army, some of whom belonged to the eldest aristocracy, tracing their descent to Rurik, the Norse founder of the EmpiTe. The aim. of their rising was either to introduce «v Parliamentary Constitution, or, if matters came ito 4ibe extreme point, a Republic. The abolition of serfdom was in the programme of those champions of freedom. They had to suffer f or "Hheir attempt, in which they were not supported' by the masses £ at tho gallows or by exile to Siberia. Times are changed mow. In December last, #ie memory of those " Martyrs of 1825 " was celebrated, not only by Russian refugees in Switzerland, France, and in England, but also by workmen in Russia itself- So it is steited in trustworthy reports. A spirit is abroad now, which it will become more and more difficult to master with, that famous instrument of Ruasisuf government, the Cossack knout, the hemp of -which is intertwined waltih lead. The more Independent Russian Press, though occasionally bolder than before, is still too much gagged to be able to speak ant on tfbare oocurrences. Yet, the very statement of plain facts, as gtven at last in a Government organ, proves sufficiently what a feeling of unrest exists in the vast dominions of a ruler whose official title is that of "Autocrat," but who. is dependent upon a, Vureautaraoy and military ring, while among the population of ithe cities discontent is visibly growing. The stolidity of the rural masses, of the muiiks, is the only prop still of Czarilom. But if mamy of the cities were to combine, the atbtode of' the m»jiks womld be as little an obstacle to a sudden- political change as has been that of the benighted peasantry of Fiance on various occasions. In the capital itself gK*at apprehension is felt. No Wonder NnrnoOas Q. should, with (hia faTmiry, hove left St Petersburg and gone to Oaaxskoje Selo, where they can be moss Isily guarded against a possible attack. AUTHORITY IN DOUBT. In the meanwhile— and ithis ia another..

symptom not infrequent before tihe violent fall of a governmental system I—somewhat1 — somewhat divided counsels exist in the highest spheres. The Czar, probably iiraoh frightened by the turn of eve.nts, decreed that the Moscow Professor, Mr Melitoff, who had been arrested and wss to be tried, because "suspicious prints concerning the Working Men's Question " had been found in his dwelling, should be liberated, and that no judicial procedure should be taken against him." At the same time, however, Melitoff was banished to a distant part of the Empire— an old and eajsy way of the Russian Government to get rid of inconvenient critics and reformers.

In a Council of Ministers, held by the Czar at his safe retreat in Czarskoje Selo, the troublesome Student Question was discussed. From -what we know, the Finance Minister, M. Witte, an^» remarkable to say, even the' Secretary of War, General Kuropatkin, expressed themselves in favour of a somewhat milder treatment of the University youth. In some degree, th« Home Secretary, too, Mr Sipyagin, is said to ihave distinguished himself advantageously, in comparison with this predeoessor',, M. QoMmykin, who was for taking severe measures. Such details can only have become known through ithese Ministers themselves; and that is a noteworthy sign of the times. Perhaps they are ready to "rat." Still, the majority of the Council of Ministers are declared to have advocated some repressive measures. Unanimously they resolved upon closing entirely .the University courses for female students. Many of the latter had taken part in the recent riots. Altogether it is known that in Russian, lady students there is a great deal otf ' masculine nature. It is further stated 'tWa* arrests have also taken place in consequence of the publication', ia a Berlin paper, of the protest signed by seventy-nine prominent masters. A Mutual Aid Association, of which most, of them are members, has been dissolved. If a further report cam be trusted, there has been an attempt upon the life even of Mr Sipyagin, which would seem to show that the . statement as to bis oomparatively miid'er attitude is held to be a piece of deception % those who aim at a> change of the governmental system, THE ECONOMIC SITUATION. A •well-known trick of the* supporters of the despotic form of goyernaneajt is, to lump together all the elements of dissatisfaction under the name of " Nihiiistß " ox "Anarchists." Though it is certain that uipder an unbearable tyrsamy unsound ideas are. easily developed, because sound ideas have no regular means of making themselves heard, ib is, «Q the other ihaad, equally certain "that, among the elements of discontent in Russia, tkere are— erea as in other countfieSj-^modereute «nd ad : wn»ed adherents of the principles of Parliamentary Constitutionalism, Democrats of various shades, as well as Republicans of Sodalistic views. A3. these hare antobing whatever to do with a visionary Nihilism and Anarchism. While the volcanic strength of the semi*, revolutionary movement is . the. material prosperity and. *h e financial conditdoo of Russia ge* w«se «od. worse. XJwro is famine on aa .tixtmmse area of tho country. The deportments upon which a blight has fallen are those usually iheld to be tha most fertile, such as the Crimea, Beesarabda,, Pbdolia. and Oheison, as well as parts of' tiie so-called Black Earth, such as the department of Kieff; and; in Asia the departments of Tomsk and Tobolsk, as well as large territories of Sexmpalatinsk and Trans-Baakalisu Manufacturing establishments are standing ettU a and mjany men axe throwa out of work. Add to this the costs of the Ohiniese esp«E*wii, wihioh are taxing the resources of the Empire. A conisidei<able Bumiber of industrial enterprises have had to be given up, their promoters being on the verge of insolvency. These facts are stated evea in Russian

Nevertheless, the military and bmwra T cratio rungs which, under the shield of autocracy, rule the country, oonionualiy busy themselves witih mew schemes, whose final aim is aggression, whether in t^»o direction of Afghanistan, wita Indk as its final object; or of Persia, as a coiacurreait means of ulterior attack upon England's possessions in Asia; or of Constanifciowple, the conquest of which has been the dream of so apany Russiaw trulers.; or even in the direction of Norway and Sweeten, an ice-free port opposite the English, shores ibebg tteld desirable for the Russian* Navy. The latest plan is to build a carnal to the White Sea, *s *n outlet ,for the • Baltic fleet. Ever since that time which immediately preceded' the Crimean)) War, tha jtaunkering after the acquisition of Hanwnerfest has been a psib of the policy of the Couxt of Sb Petersburg. Those -who imagine that tihe defeat of iNiohoks 1., who was beat upon the conquest of Constantinople, was a mistake on the part of might usefully ■refleob upom the dangers -whichi would arise from the permanent location of a Russian navy opposite the shores of England: It as strongly felh now in the Scandinavian countries that their owm independent existence may soon be imperilled. The people of Sweden and Norway- are. beginning to readi what has been dome against Finland on the light of preparations being made for a ooaniing attack upon themselves. The present Czar had sworn to maintain the Constitution of Finland.- In every Finnish church this declaration, of his is to be seen, in a frame, near the altar; For all that, the solemn promise made by him has been brCketo. Tha constitution of a perfectly law-abiding ■people had >to be violated; its army establishment had to be Russiandsed, so that in future there should (be 010 obstacle to aggressive Russian designs its the north-west. This is held to 'be the solution of the otherwise incomprehensible riddle of autocratic policy towards a most, loyal population. In presence of such dangers ajnd designs, it need not be said that the movement now going on in Russia jaroper is of a two-fold interest and importance. Its issue has a meaning for at home and, abroad.